Chrysalis

I’m so .... So hungry!

Perched here on the roof of the cavern, my claws dug into the cold rock there is only one thought in my mind.

Food!

All the delicious things I was able to eat in my previous life are spinning through my mind, chocolate, cake, steaks, bread, yes even bread! I haven’t eaten anything for two days now, the hunger is making my mind play tricks on me. The last time I saw a Croca-beast I swore it looked like a cow and nearly leaped at it from the ceiling!

The centipedes are looking and more like a tangle of noodles. I have to solve this situation before I get myself killed chomping on something I shouldn’t.

Two days. I have been planning for two. Whole. Days.

I have studied every aspect of this end of the cavern in excruciating detail. I’ve spent so long hanging upside down over the water basin that I nearly feel asleep and dropped into the water. That would be a swim I wouldn’t enjoy...

A welcome side effect of spending all my time this way has been my sneak has levelled up to four! Thanks to spending my downtime digging away at my hiding place my digging has also reached level three.

Mua HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

I prepare, I grow, I hunger!

Sigh.

I know, these skills are pretty much useless, ok? I know. I’ll take anything I get at this stage. Hopefully, soon I’ll be able to conquer my first prey.

My antennae twitch suddenly. The target is close, I can smell them. Concentrating hard I try to focus my eyes, I’m currently positioned away from pool in a very dark area of the cavern, the snaking light veins along the walls are far apart here, allowing deep shadows to exist.

My chosen prey has been using the wall on this side of the cavern as a resting place, crawling down to the floor and over to the pool once each day to drink.

movement path that I think I can defeat. So rare! This creature

Wait, I see it!

to see clearly enough to identify exactly where so I couldn’t tell when it

or as quickly as I can whilst still being stealthy I scramble towards the darkness above the creature. My stomach is rumbling, demanding all the

stomach! I

armoured lizard moves fairly slowly, especially on the vertical surface, I get

large spines protruding from its back look so solid, as if made of stone. Man, I bet it would sting to get stabbed

start thinking negative now,

the target, my eyes are the eyes of the hunter, the eagle, the tiger! I have to

Now!

take aim and fire my acid spray directly at the target. The liquid falls through the air

over the

and find the attacker but I’m already moving, racing down the wall behind it, all

fangs to bear, tilting the fearsome spines forward to cover as much of its body as it can. This is the wrong battle ground for you Lizard! You want to battle me here on the wall? With my incredible grip skill at level

want to

be over, I have to focus. The Lizard is bracing itself for the close range battle but just before I

ha! Didn’t expect

the fight as the Lizard growls and hisses as acid continues to burn at its feet and now face. It won’t be

close in we begin an awkward dance here on the wall, the Lizard trying to thrust forward with its fangs or spines

antennae. I’ve seen more than one fight

beginning to breathe heavily, the energy required to support its body here on the wall

spikes rushing directly towards my still pitiful eyes! I have to dodge! A flash of inspiration strikes and I snap my feet further apart, lowering my body closer to the wall. To grip at this sort of angle takes all the strength my

Chance!

wide open and snap, crunching them closed on the head of my

sorry Lizard, you must become

gather my strength, prepare my heart and then

head gripped in my mandibles the Lizard begins to fall away from the wall as I sail over its head, scaly feet tipped with claws scrabble and scrape at the stone but burned with acid and worn out from fighting they simply cannot muster the strength to hold the Lizard along